Stracciatella II

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
• 3 quarts water
• 11 carrots
• 6 stalks celery
• 2 onions
• 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
• 6 ounces baby spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Cut up chicken into large pieces and place in a large soup pot with the water. Chop 8 carrots, 3 stalks of celery and 1 onion and place them in the pot as well. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes, until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and reserve stock. When cool enough to handle, bone chicken and cut meat into bite-size pieces.

Process reserved stock in a blender or food processor or using an immersion blender and return it to the pot with the chicken meat. Chop the remaining 3 carrots, 3 stalks of celery and 1 onion and stir into the chicken mixture with the rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove chicken mixture from heat and stir in spinach, Romano, salt, pepper, lemon juice and oregano. Set aside.

In large saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Pour the eggs into the boiling broth, slowly, in a thin stream. Remove the broth from the heat and stir it into the chicken mixture. Serve hot.